It seemed that Balfour was keen on keeping his relationship with Ivy under wraps from Giselle.
âA friend? Like a girlfriend, or just a pal?â Giselle teased with a playful grin.
Without a momentâs hesitation, Balfour declared, âJust a pal.â
Ivy, slightly uncomfortable, pressed her lips together in a tight smile and approached, âMr. Howard and I have only just met, actually. I heard about this shindig and asked him to show me the ropes. Donât get it twisted, Giselle.â
Since Balfour didnât want Giselle in the loop about their connection, Ivy naturally played along with the charade.
Balfour was her boss, and she had already managed to rub him the wrong way earlier; now was the time to make amends.
Giselle didnât let on whether she bought Ivyâs story or not, but she didnât press further. Instead, she stepped forward with a smile, linking her arm with Balfourâs. âIf sheâs your friend, sheâs mine too. Oh, I forgot to ask, how should I address this lady?â
âIvy.â Despite playing Balfourâs wife for an extended period, Ivy had never shown any public displays of affection with Balfour. Yet, here was this leading actress, latching onto his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world?
Balfour wasnât one for excessive physical contact with the opposite sex, so Ivy always maintained a respectful distance.
But Giselle had so casually taken his arm, and Balfour hadnât even flinched.
Clearly, these two shared a special rapport.
Ivy pursed her lips, feeling an inexplicable tightness in her chest.
âIvy, since youâre a friend of Balfourâs, come on up!â Giselle maintained her generous smile and led the way upstairs with Balfour in tow.
Ivy followed with a quiet nod.
The second floor was more private, and Giselle opened one of the doors to let herself and Balfour in.
âWhere the heck have you been, Giselle? Weâve been waiting for you to toast!â the moment they entered, they were greeted enthusiastically, âAnd Balfourâs here too!â
Ivy trailed behind, feeling like an outsider.
The room was filled with high-profile young gents and ladies of fortune, a close-knit circle of friends who surrounded Giselle and Balfour in animated conversation.
Ivy didnât recognize anyone there, and the topics flew over her head. She didnât feel like forcing herself to fit in.
She found a quiet corner to sit down and grabbed a glass of punch.
Looking over at Balfour not far away, she noticed him sitting next to Giselle, his gaze softer than his usual icy demeanor.
For some reason, seeing Balfour and Giselle together made Ivyâs heart sink.
She was Balfourâs wife, even if only in name, yet he seemed completely oblivious to her presence. Why had he even bothered to bring her along?
With a resigned sigh, Ivy drained her glass.
No big deal, she was just here on the job!
If the boss ignored her, she might as well slack off.
âWhy are you sipping on juice by yourself? Canât handle a little drinking?â
Giselle suddenly appeared beside her, offering a glass of wine.
Ivy managed a smile, accepting the drink, âThanks, but Iâm not much of a drinker.â
âDonât be so uptight, everyone here is friends with me and Balfour. Since youâre Balfourâs friend, youâre in good company, Giselle clinked her glass against Ivyâs and took a sip, âWeâre all friends here, so loosen up!â
Even after confessing her limited drinking skills, Giselle insisted on the toast. Out of politeness, Ivy took a sip as well.